More Recipes Coming Soon!

Hi all! It's been a while since I posted a NEW recipe, so I thought I better let you know that I will post more SOON. We are remodeling our house and it is in shambles, so it's not in the greatest shape for COOKING! So with that said, please check back soon for more recipes!

Jo's Chicken Wonton Salad

This is such a refreshing, CRISPY salad, it's super hard to stop eating. It has a slight Oriental TASTE due to the sesame oil in the dressing, and it's FABULOUS! Thanks so much to my husband's aunt JOANN for sharing this yummy recipe with me.

Jo's Chicken Wonton Salad
3 to 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (or shredded)
1 head iceberg lettuce, torn or cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups chopped celery
5 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup toasted sliced or slivered almonds
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
12 to 14 wonton wrappers, fried in oil and broken up

Dressing
6 to 7 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried mustard
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 to 5 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Toss all salad ingredients together except wontons in a large bowl. Combine dressing ingredients and toss onto salad (but don't saturate) just before serving. Add wontons. Makes 4 to 6 main dish servings.

TIP: This makes a big salad, so for just me and my hubby, I only use half of the salad mixture, wontons, and dressing. Then we make the other half the next night for dinner too, or sometimes for a big lunch. That way it doesn't get soggy. Try serving with your favorite bread on the side.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Can anyone say DELISH? This cake is so moist, dense, and all around YUMMY, you'll think you've died and gone to HEAVEN after the first bite. Just keep in mind that it is SUPER rich, so this cake can serve a ton of people!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 (29-ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a glass 9 x 13-inch pan with nonstick spray; set aside.
In a bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until smooth. Stir in all the remaining ingredients except the chocolate chips until smooth. Gently stir in the chips and then pour mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely and then frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting. (If you need a good recipe, let me know and I'll post one!)

TIP: You can leave the chocolate chips out altogether and toss in some chopped nuts instead. Butterscotch or cinnamon chips would be good in place of the chocolate as well. WARNING: This cake is heavy when you pick it up, so don't be surprised!!!

Super Easy Ice Cream Sandwiches

These are great to serve at a kid's BIRTHDAY party, or even a baby or bridal SHOWER. They go together quickly, and look super CUTE to boot!

Super Easy Ice Cream Sandwiches
Chocolate chip cookie dough (homemade or store bought)
Vanilla ice cream
Rainbow sprinkles, optional

Cook the cookies according to directions, but make sure not to overcook as a soft cookie is better! Let cookies cool completely on a wire rack. While cookies cool, remove ice cream from the freezer to soften. Place a small scoop of ice cream between 2 cookies and press together. Roll in some sprinkles and then wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to use.

TIP: To make this even easier, just use some soft store-bought cookies instead of baking them yourself! Oh, and you can obviously use different types of cookies and ice cream for endless combinations!

Mom's Potato Salad

So, is it weird that I've been WANTING some of this yummy POTATO salad? Once you try it, you'll want it at more than just summer BBQs too! (I am pregnant . . . with twins . . . so that might be another reason I want it soooo bad!)

Mom's Potato Salad

5 to 6 large red potatoes, cooked and cubed

4 to 5 hard-boiled eggs, chopped with a few slices reserved

1/2 cup chopped pickles

1/2 cup finely chopped onions

1 cup mayonnaise 

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon mustard

1/4 cup milk

salt and pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, mix together the potatoes, eggs, pickles, and onions; set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, and milk until creamy and smooth. Spoon over potato mixture and then gently stir until completely covered. Season with salt and pepper and top with reserved egg slices for garnish. Makes 8 to 10 servings.


TIP: I use light mayo and light sour cream, and it's still delicious but has a lot fewer calories and fat! I also like to sprinkle a little paprika over the sliced eggs on top. OK, so let me know if I'm crazy! :)

Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken and Dried Cherries

I LOVE salads (obviously, I wrote 101 Things to do with Salads!), and I love making up new combinations with whatever I happen to have on HAND. This one was a real winner and is making my MOUTH water right now just thinking about it!

Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken and Dried Cherries
4 to 6 chicken tenders, seasoned with Montreal Chicken Seasoning
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/3 red onion, chopped
4 to 6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped (I used the really lean Jennie-O brand)
Extra sharp white cheddar cheese, cut into small pieces or cubes (try the Cabot brand, it's only 1.99 at my grocery store!)
Dried cherries, roughly chopped
Cashews, roughly chopped
Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette

On a BBQ or in a grill pan, grill the seasoned chicken until done; let cool slightly and then chop or slice. On individual serving plates, pile on the lettuce, celery, cucumber, and onion. Sprinkle some of the chicken down the center of the salad and then top with the bacon, cheese, cherries, and cashews. Top with the vinaigrette and enjoy!

TIP: As usual, this recipe's ingredients can totally be changed according to your tastes. If you don't like strong cheese, just use something more mild. Or if you prefer craisins to the more tart dried cherries, that's fine too. Just be creative and enjoy. Oh, and I served mine with some yummy warm muffins!

Thai-ish Lime Chicken Soup

I'm never sure what to actually call this SOUP, my husband just says to call it GOOD! It's very simple, but super FLAVORFUL, and fast becoming a new favorite of ours.

Thai-ish Lime Chicken Soup
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 cups cut-up cooked chicken
2 cans great Northern white beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups chicken broth
1 can diced green chiles
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 lime
Few dashes curry powder
Pepper

In a soup pot, lightly brown the onion in a touch of oil, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken, beans, broth, and chiles. Simmer until warmed through. Stir in the cilantro and squeeze in all the juice from the lime. Season with the curry powder and pepper; simmer for about 10 minutes or so and then serve!

TIP: I haven't experimented much with this soup, but I do know it's flavor stands on its own. You can try garnishing it with a little grated cheese or crumbled tortilla chips, or even a dollop of sour cream, but I don't think it's really necessary. Serve it with some yummy bread though and this dinner is sure to be a hit!

Beef and Potato Tacos

This is a great MEAL for when you have leftover roast beef or steak. It saves you from LEFTOVER boredom! Try it with my Easiest, Yummiest GUACAMOLE.

Beef and Potato Tacos
1 to 2 cups chopped leftover roast beef or steak
Taco seasoning
Salsa
1 to 2 cups frozen hash browns, cooked according to directions
4 Flour tortillas, warmed
Cheese, sour cream, guacamole, shredded lettuce, cilantro

In a frying pan, gently warm and season the beef with several shakes of taco seasoning and a couple tablespoons of water; stir to coat and warm through. Spoon a few large tablespoons salsa into the meat mixture and warm through. Lay tortillas on the counter and equally divide the meat and potatoes over top. Top with your favorite taco toppings!

TIP: This meat also makes great filling for taquitos or quesadillas. Dip them in the yummy guacamole and you'll love it!  

Easiest, Yummiest Guacamole!

Try this at your Super Bowl PARTY this Sunday. It's sooooo easy and by far my family's FAVORITE version of guacamole. It's FANTASTIC alone or layered in 7-Layer Dip!

Easiest, Yummiest Guacamole!
1 large ripe avocado (or 2 small)
1/2 lime
2 to 3 heaping tablespoons favorite salsa (I use Costco's Kirkland Organic)
1 tablespoon minced onion
Salt and pepper

Pit and peel the avocado and smash in a bowl with a fork until most of the big chunks are gone. Squeeze the lime half over top and stir. Stir in the salsa and onion, and then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips!

TIP: You can also add some diced fresh tomato if desired.

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Pasta Salad

OK, so maybe the name isn't very APPETIZING, but this pasta salad is basically a combo of whatever produce I'm trying to FREE myself of, and anything else I can find that goes with it. I've made many SALADS similar to this one, and they all turn out pretty good as long as nothing CRAZY ends up going in!

Kitchen Sink Pasta Salad (for short!)
1 box or bag of rainbow rotini pasta, cooked, drained and cooled
1 to 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
Bell pepper, chopped (red, green, yellow, or a combo of whatever you have)
Red onion, chopped
Cucumber, chopped
Grated or cubed cheddar cheese
Cooked bacon crumbles
1/2 cup or so of sunflower seeds
Ranch dressing
Salt and pepper

Mix everything together until it looks like you've got the proportions to your liking. Serve chilled. NOTE: After about 2 days, the lettuce becomes a little more soggy than I like to eat, so beware!

TIP: Other great additions include tomatoes, fresh broccoli florets, fresh cauliflower florets, whole kernel corn, etc. Just use whatever you're trying to get rid of!

Skillet Enchiladas

My mother-in-law gave me this RECIPE years ago, as I'm sure my HUSBAND was begging for it! It's really delicious and cooks up much FASTER than your standard enchiladas! (Sorry again about the weird photo! I'm working on it!)

Skillet Enchiladas
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can enchilada sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 small can diced green chiles
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish
Flour tortillas
Sour cream

Brown the meat with the onion in a large skillet; drain. Stir in the sauce, soup, milk, and chiles and let simmer about 5 to 10 minutes.  Stir in the cheese until melted. Serve in warm flour tortillas—we usually do a scoop down the center of each tortilla, roll it up, and then top with another big scoop of the sauce. Sprinkle the whole thing with cheese and top with a scoop of sour cream.

TIP: Other great toppings for this dish would be shredded lettuce and sliced avocado.

Traditional Shepherd's Pie

I love this dinner! It is such a classic COMFORT food, and really pretty SIMPLE to make. This version always just says HOME to me. (Sorry for the awful picture! I can't get my new camera to work very well with blogger!)

Traditional Shepherd's Pie
1 pound hamburger
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon pepper
Salt
1 can green beans, drained
1 small can mushrooms, drained
1 heaping cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup flour

1 cup milk (and more if needed)

1 to 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 to 3 cups mashed potatoes

In a large skillet, brown the hamburger with the onion, garlic, pepper, and salt; drain. Stir in all the veggies to combine. Sprinkle the flour over top and stir to coat. Pour milk over mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir until a nice thick gravy forms. (You may need to add more, it just depends. The last time I made it, I probably ended up using 1 1/2 cups!) Pour mixture into a 2- to 3-quart glass baking dish and then top with desired amount of cheese. Spread the mashed potatoes over top and spread out to seal around the edges of the baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes have a nice golden color. Let stand about 5 minutes and then serve!

TIP: To simplify the gravy, try using a can of cream of mushroom soup thinned out a little with some milk. Or try using a can of tomato soup for a totally different taste! Also, you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand. Just use anywhere from 2 to 3 cups and you'll be good!  (Frozen peas and carrots are yummy too!).

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

Man, what can I say? We seriously LOVE quesadillas at our house! I often have leftover CHICKEN in the fridge, so since quesadillas are so EASY and always seem to taste so GOOD, this is my latest concoction!

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas
1 cup cooked chopped chicken
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup (or so) BBQ sauce

4 tortillas

Grated cheddar cheese

In a bowl, combine the chicken, onion, corn, and BBQ sauce until all is well coated with the sauce. Lay the tortillas on your work space and sprinkle some cheese over 2 of them. Split the chicken mixture evenly over each (although I grabbed a 5th tortillas and made a half) and then sprinkle with a little more cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas and then cook in a quesadilla maker, or heat in a large frying pan sprayed with nonstick spray, turning half-way through cook time so both sides brown. Makes 2 quesadillas (and a half!)

TIP: I served this with a small bowl of ranch dressing on the side, mixed with some BBQ sauce and it was a hit! (I'm sure plain ranch would taste fine too though.) You could also do some variations on the sauce and dip, for example, use a spicy BBQ sauce in your quesadilla mixture and dip into blue cheese dressing! Yum!

Chipotle Black Bean Quesadillas

Quesadillas are a quick go-to DINNER at our house a lot. We put all sorts of STUFF between two tortillas! My husband thought these ones were EXTRA special, so I decided to SHARE them with you!

Chipotle Black Bean Quesadillas

8 whole wheat tortillas

Grated cheddar cheese

Grated pepper jack cheese

1 cup corn

Salsa

2 or 3 Morning Star Chipotle Black Bean Burger patties, cooked according to directions

Lay 4 tortillas on your counter. Top each with some cheddar and pepper jack cheese. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup corn over top of each, followed by small spoonfuls of salsa (according to your liking!). Break apart or cut the cooked patties into 1/4-inch size pieces. Sprinkle the broken patties over top, followed by a touch more cheese. Cook each quesadilla in a Quesadilla Maker (my preferred method) or in a large frying pan on your stovetop. Just make sure to flip it halfway through. :)

TIP: These are pretty versatile, as you can obviously add whatever ingredients you feel like or have on hand. I would have loved some roasted red peppers added in if I'd had them! Also, I bought a big box of these burgers at Costco in the freezer section. I just like to have them on hand!

Easy Zucchini

Does anybody else find it hard to be CREATIVE with veggies over the winter? If anyone has some great IDEAS, please let me know. In the meantime, here is one of my always TASTY old stand-bys.

Easy Zucchini

Olive oil

2 small zucchini, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
Salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and then add the zucchini and onion. Let cook several minutes and then toss. Season with some salt and pepper, and continue cooking for several more minutes, or until the zucchini and onion have a touch of brown around the edges.

TIP: Just make sure you don't cook them too long or the zucchini will turn into mush! This is also great with some sliced yellow squash mixed in, sprinkled with lemon pepper instead of the regular black pepper.

Stuffing Casserole

It's hard for me to stop thinking about STUFFING when the holiday season is over. It's just so GOOD! Anyway, here is a super SIMPLE little casserole that always pleases at my house.

Stuffing Casserole
2 cups cut-up rotisserie chicken
1 cup peas
1 cup corn
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use the light version)
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 box Stovetop Stuffing, cooked according to directions

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the stuffing. Pour into a 2-quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Spread the cooked stuffing over top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until filling is bubbling and heated through. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

NOTE: You can use whatever vegetables you prefer. For example, a bag of frozen peas and carrots would be fine, or even broccoli and cauliflower. Whatever you choose will be good!

Chicken Parmesan

OK, so we've established that I LOVE cheese. I also love MARINARA sauce. A LOT! This recipe is so easy, and always TASTES amazing on a cold winter's day.

Chicken Parmesan

2 eggs, beaten

Italian breadcrumbs

Grated Parmesan cheese

10 to 12 boneless skinless chicken tenders

About 1/4 cup olive oil

10 to 12 slices mozzarella
Spaghetti sauce (I used traditional Prego)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with nonstick spray; set aside.

Put the eggs in a bowl and set aside. Put the breadcrumbs in a shallow pan and combine with the Parmesan cheese and set aside. (Try using a 2:1 ratio, breadcrumbs:cheese.)

In a large frying pan, heat the oil. When the oil is ready, start dipping the chicken tenders first into the beaten eggs, then roll in the breadcrumb mixture to completely coat. Fry the tenders about 2 or 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and slightly crisp. Place the cooked strips in the prepared 9 x 13-inch pan and then top each piece with a slice of mozzarella cheese. Spoon the spaghetti sauce over each slice, as well as around the bottom of the pan to cover. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is done.  Serve with some sort of noodle on the side!

NOTE: If you don't have Parmesan, try Romano or Asiago. I actually even like to combine all three. Also, if you want to cut calories, skip the breading/frying part, sprinkle each piece of chicken with the Parmesan cheese, top with the mozzarella and sauce, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cooked through. 

Chicken Caesar Crostini

This is an easy and FABULOUS recipe that you can WHIP up for New Year's Eve. I'm a sucker for anything with Caesar dressing, but these really are WORTH trying! To top things off, they look REALLY pretty. :)

Chicken Caesar Crostini
6 to 8 chicken tenders
Olive oil

1/3 cup grated Asiago or Romano cheese, plus more to top

1/2 cup Caesar dressing, or to taste
1 French baguette, sliced in 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices
Romaine or green leaf lettuce, chiffonade (sliced in thin strips)

Saute the tenders in a frying pan coated with a touch of olive oil. (I seasoned mine with some Montreal Chicken Seasoning.) Let cool completely and then dice the chicken; preheat the broiler.

In a bowl, combine the chicken, cheese, and dressing just to coat. (I'm not exactly sure on the dressing measurement, so just add gradually until all is moist.) Place bread slices on a baking sheet and then top each piece with a spoonful of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle some cheese over top and then broil in the oven until bread is looking toasty and the chicken mixture is sizzling—about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes in my oven. Top with a pinch of the lettuce strips and serve!

TIP: I tossed my lettuce with just a touch of the dressing, but not too much as I didn't want it to get soggy. Also, be careful not to cut the bread slices too thin—the topping is pretty heavy and you want them to hold up. You could brush them with olive oil and toast in the oven to make them a little more firm before topping and broiling. Also, another ingredient that would be a fantastic addition—bacon!

Banana Streusel Muffins

If you have some extra ripe BANANAS around, make these easy muffins a part of your CHRISTMAS breakfast!  I sometimes get tired of regular banana BREAD (why do I always have overripe bananas?), so sometimes I make these instead. YUM!

Banana Streusel Muffins
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 extra ripe bananas, mashed

Streusel
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and then add all of the wet ingredients; mix well. Spoon batter in greased muffin tins, about 2/3 full; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the streusel ingredients until crumbly. Divide evenly over the muffin batter in the pan and then bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

TIP: If you don't like the hassle of cleaning the muffin pan when all is said and done, just use the little paper liners instead! Also, a good addition to this recipe would be some chopped nuts or chocolate chips.  If you add some, let me know how they turn out!

All Day Salsa Chicken

I've had several VERSIONS of this recipe, and actually LIKE them all. I made this one for dinner a week or two ago. It was the perfect WARM dish on a very snowy NIGHT. Hope you like it!

All Day Salsa Chicken
10 to 12 chicken tenders
8 to 12 ounces chunky salsa
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 heaping cup frozen corn
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes

Spray a Crockpot with nonstick spray. Place the chicken tenders inside. Pour the salsa over the chicken. Cook on low heat for about 7 to 8 hours. Stir the chicken and salsa around a bit to break up the chicken. Pour in the beans and corn and then stir in the cream cheese. Let cook on high heat for about 30 minutes and give it all a good stir. Serve over rice or wrapped up in a warm tortilla.

TIP: I like to stir in more salsa after the cream cheese is all melted so the taste has a little more zip to it. This version is fairly thick, so the extra salsa also loosens it up a bit more. If it is too thick for you, try stirring in half a can of cream of chicken soup, or a 1/2 cup of sour cream. It changes the taste a little bit, but is still yummy. You can also double the cream cheese if you want, just for fun!

BONUS TIP: This recipe is also great served as a dip with tortilla chips!